Ten acts sang their hearts out on tonight’s national selection show, but in the end Belarus has decided that Helena Meraai will fly its flag at Junior Eurovision 2017 with the song “Ya Samaya” (I am The Most). Next stop, Tbilisi!
Standing on a small raised platform, Helena delivered a mature performance that showed off her power and control. What starts off as a traditional ballad eventually morphs into a drum ‘n bass ballad with a house feel. The quickening beat gives it drive and pace — it remains child-friendly, but occupies the more mature end of the song contest spectrum.
Helena’s dramatic facial expressions and arm movements suggest she’s put a lot of thought into the overall package. With greater control of the high notes and a dramatic LED, she could be on to something big for Tbilisi.
Helena Meraai – “Ya Samaya”
She follows in the footsteps of last year’s winner Alexander Minyonok, who opened Friday night’s televised final with his Junior Eurovision entry “Muzyka moikh pobed” (Music is my only way).
For the second year in a row, former Eurovision 2014 representative Teo got himself suited up and co-hosted with his wife Olga Ryzhykova.
Running order
- Helena Meraai – “Ya Samaya” (I am The Most)
- Anastasiya Timofeevich – “Volshebnyi Svet” (Magic Light)
- Ruslana Panchishina – “Tantsuy So Mnoy” (Dance With Me)
- Elina Mataras – “Ty Reshayesh Sam” (You Decide For Yourself)
- Yaroslav Sokolikov – “Okean” (Ocean)
- Stefaniya Sokolova – “Mama” (Mum)
- Arina Pekhtereva & Anastasiya Dmitrachkova – “Musyka Vselennaya” (Music Universe)
- National V. Mulyavin Children’s Art Center Quartet – “Prodolzhay Idti” (Continue To Go)
- Maria Zihilina – “Vyshe” (Higher)
- Anastasiya Zhabko – “Letim k Mechtam” (We Fly To Dreams)
The winner was decided by a 50/50 combination of televoting and juries consisting of music professionals. And they both agreed on Helena, putting her ahead of runner-up Maria Zihilina and bronze medalist Yaroslav Sokolikov.
Full results
- Helena Meraai – 24 points (12 with 20,799 votes/12 from juries)
- Maria Zihilina – 17 points (10 with 6,046 votes/7 from juries)
- Yaroslav Sokolikov – 16 points (6 with 1,687 votes/10 from juries)
- Ruslana Panchishina – 16 points (8 with 2,006 votes/8 from juries)
- National V. Mulyavin Children’s Art Center Quartet – 12 points (7 with 1,843 votes/5 from juries)
- Stefaniya Sokolova – 9 points (3 with 1,179 votes/6 from juries)
- Elina Mataras – 8 points (5 with 1,603 votes/3 from juries)
- Arina Pekhtereva & Anastasiya Dmitrachkova – 5 points (1 with 967 votes/4 from juries)
- Anastasiya Zhabko – 5 points (4 with 1,425/1 from juries)
- Anastasiya Timofeevich – 4 points (2 with 1,174 votes/2 with juries)
Was Helena Meraai your favourite? Did Belarus make the right decision? Let us know in the comments section below!
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Photo: tvr.by
Great! Sounds really good. It’s interesting how some countries tend to send better songs to the Junior Contest than to the Eurovision Song Contest itself. Belarus is one of the best examples!
Very impressive, especially because She performed first and won with such a landslide. I loved This entry from the start and I already believe that This Will be between My Favorites.
Love this song and her voice is absolutely amazing.
1. Belarus 10/10
2. Ukraine 7/10
3. Russia 6/10
Amazing. All songs selected so far are really really good.
Amazing entry. All songs selected so far are really really good.
Amazing entry! The best one for now. Russia is quite forgetting and Ukraine is cute, but not super special.
Very strong year so fad indeed. It doesn’t happen often in Belarus that my favourite wins.
Great performance. Good luck to her.
1. Belarus
2. Ukraine
3. Russia
Pity, my country’s not participating again. :/
Which country are you from? 😮
I’m from Azerbaijan. I guess we’ve participated in JESC before, but now we don’t. As Georgia is our neighbour country, I expected us to return this year. Pity
Minsk 2018, anyone?
total ignore Ukraine in wiwibloggs. okey
Remember that time where someone called Ukraine “Ucrap”? 😮
With the 3 songs chosen up until now I actually think this might be quite a strong year…. Of course, by saying this now I just know one(or more) country will send a horrible entry to prove me wrong, probably my own country.
Don’t you dare say that! 🙁
I’m just being realistic here. We all know at least one entry will be bad, and my countries JESC songs are horrible.
But this is supposed to be a strong year, now that JESC finally brought back public voting. Which country are you from, anyway?
This seems better produced than their Adult ESC NF
She got more votes than all other contestants combined I guess
I didn’t do the whole math, just by looking it seems her song got more than 50% of all the telefone votes!
53.7% to be precise.